NTC Leaders

"Landep News"

NTC Leaders

Libya’s National Transitional Council on Tuesday announced that it wanted the NATO to continue its mission in the country for at least one more month, four days after the Western military alliance agreed to put an end to the campaign in Libya as of October 31.
Interim oil and finance minister Ali Tarhouni, who chairs the Supreme Security Council of his country, which was founded in September in Tripoli announced that he had asked NATO to remain, without offering the reasons why nor saying in which way the NATO military operation will continue, considering that so far it has, at least officially, conducted aerial missions only, and now that, in NATO chiefs’ words, Libya is “essentially” secured, the bombardments seem to have no more purpose.
The decision about a possible prolonging of the mission is to be made next week, after the NATO officials consult with the United Nations and the Libya’s interim authorities. The request made by Tarhouni was commented by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who said that NATO may not wrap up its mission yet.
Speaking about the Libyan request Panetta said it could be possible to prolong the mission in Iraq, in spite of the fact that the ministers of the NATO countries had already agreed upon ending the mission on October 31.
Panetta said that some of the leaders demanded NATO to see them through the interim period and that he was leaving such a decision with NATO, while the United States is more interested in a cooperation with the Libyan military.
The US Defense Secretary added that what was more important now for the Libyan people was the medical crisis the country is confronted with.
The demand of the Libyan NTC is sure to have an unsettling impact on some of the countries in the area, mainly Iran, which hailed the liberation of Syria but expressed the hope that NATO would leave the country soon.
The request made by the NTC comes in the context of the demise and burial of the former president Muammar al-Qaddafi, who was killed last Thursday and was buried on Monday in an undisclosed location.
The death of the former colonel happened under circumstances that compelled the international community to demand an investigation into how he died, given that at a certain time he was seen alive into the hands of the rebels.
The UN human rights activists reminded that in case he was killed after taken prisoner that qualified as war crime.
Qaddafi’s son Seif al Islam is said by the NTC to have run away and escaped the fight in Bani Walid. Sources say that he may be on his way to the southern desert, where he may cross the border into Niger.
Seif is wanted by the International Criminal Court, and the decision of the Niger authorities to grand him sanctuary could bring them troubles. Some of the close friends of the family said that during the Sirte siege Seif had been attempting to call his father on various occasions, and that he wanted to keep his location hidden at all time fearing that he may be killed by mortars.
It is said that as the convoy left Bani Walid, it was hit by a NATO airstrike but that the presidential son made it alive.
Other reports speak of the last days of the former leader, as he spent them between agony and hope, hiding from one place to the other within the city of Sirte.
Last Sunday the NTC proclaimed the liberation of Libya and the institution of an Islamic republic with the Shariah as source of the legislation.
On Monday the leaders of the country felt compelled to explain that the Islamic character of the new regime would be a moderate one, not a radical one, as the proclamation on Sunday sounded like.
Many analysts are sceptical about the post-Qaddafi era, and believe that the divide within the country’s fabric will show now that there is nothing to stop Libyans from expressing their will.
The requirement to keep NATO around a little longer could refer to the situation in the field, where it is expected that the people who have been given ammunition during the rebellion keep their weapons and use them to settle various disputes.
Acting prime minister already expressed the fear that the increase of unemployment and the possession of weapon by so many civilians may cause troubles.
The fact that the NTC went back to Benghazi underlines one of the most substantial divide in Libya between people from the eastern side of the country and those in the west. Ruling from Benghazi could create a problem and could constitute a challenge to the unity of the land.
The proclamation of the republic was made by the NTC, but in the past few months people in Benghazi and the eastern part of the country were saying that a referendum for the form of government is absolutely necessary, considering that many want the monarchy reinstalled, and fought under the flag of the monarchy, which became now the flag of the country.
Having a referendum on the form of government, on the other hand, could lead to further division between the east and the west.
The tribal unions are expected on the other hand to dispute authority in different parts of the land, and the powerful Qaddafi tribe may even seek revenge for the fate of the late colonel Qaddafi.

Thank's for link:

Tweet